Losing weight is only half the battle. Maintaining your weight loss is a lifelong process and something that doesn’t always come easy. 

After losing over 100 pounds myself, one of the most important things I found was avoiding certain foods that don’t contribute to my healthy lifestyle. 

These foods trigger my binge eating impulses, which is why I’d rather eliminate them from my life than keep them close where they can tempt me back to my old ways.. 

Keep reading to learn the 5 foods I avoid to maintain my 100 pound weight loss.

1. 1. Pasta
2. 2. Candy
3. 3. Pizza
4. 4. Baked Goods
5. 5. Junk Food 
6. Maintaining My 100 Pound Weight Loss for Life

1. Pasta

Although pasta is a delicious and versatile food, it’s also high in calories and carbs. White pasta especially is high in the glycemic index, with very little other nutrients. 

I never feel fully satisfied with pasta, at least not until after I’ve ate way too much of it. I consider pasta a “fluff” food, meaning it’s just a filler, not anything substantial. 

Because pasta neither satisfies me, has any real nutritional value, and is high in calories, I avoid it. If I do choose to eat pasta, I opt for a smaller portion alongside plenty of protein and veggies. 

By eating it this way, I can enjoy my pasta without overdoing it. The protein and veggies help keep me satisfied, which makes me less tempted to overeat. 

2. Candy

Candy is pure sugar, which in excess does nothing for you but contributes to a larger waistline and poor health conditions. Because of its high sugar content, it can also be addicting. 

Which is why I rarely if ever eat candy. I don’t like keeping foods around that trick my brain into thinking I need more of it. It’s difficult for me to stop at one piece. If candy is in the house, I find myself snacking on it all day. 

Sure, one piece won’t hurt but one piece every hour adds up quickly. Fortunately, I rarely ever crave candy but when I do crave something sweet, I go for something that is more satisfying and doesn’t trick my brain into addictive-like thinking. 

Greek yogurt with honey and berries and dried fruit are some of my favorite go-tos when I’m craving something sweet and delicious. 

3. Pizza

Similar to pasta, pizza is high in calories with little nutritional value. It’s also high in fat, particularly if you are eating pizza from a fast food restaurant. 

Like pasta, I can eat a lot of pizza without feeling satisfied. I could easily eat an entire pizza on my own, and maybe have room for more! 

It’s just one of those foods I can only eat on rare occasions, otherwise reaching my fitness goals would be impossible. If I do eat pizza, I make sure I have other healthier options available. 

That way I can fill up on the healthier stuff and eat less of the pizza. 

4. Baked Goods

Muffins, cakes, doughnuts, and pastries are all high in sugar and refined flour. These foods not only trigger my binge eating desires, but make me feel lethargic. 

Although I love to eat these foods occasionally, I won’t buy them in bulk. If I want a doughnut or muffin, for example, I’ll go to a bakery and order one individually. 

This way I can enjoy it but won’t be tempted to go back for more like I would if I had a whole dozen of them sitting in my pantry. I tend to stay away from breads in general and instead opt for carbs like potatoes and fruits. 

5. Junk Food 

This food category includes chips, processed snacks, and soft drinks which are high in trans fats, salt, and sugar. During my 100 pound weight loss journey, I quickly realized these foods were the most obvious culprits keeping me fat. 

Junk food is engineered to be addictive to keep us coming back for more and making junk food companies more money. It took a whole year but eventually, I weaned myself off of junk food almost entirely. 

I can’t remember the last time I ate a Pop-Tart or bought a bag of Cheetos. I made a decision long ago that these foods wouldn’t be part of my diet anymore and have stuck to this way of eating. 

The crazy thing is, it wasn’t even that hard! The longer I went without junk food in my diet, the less I craved it. Even crazier is that when I did eat some of these foods post weight loss, I didn’t enjoy them like I used to. 

My body has gotten used to the way I eat now and recognizes the excess of sugars, fats, and other non-natural ingredients in these foods as harmful. These foods make me feel sick, which makes me want to avoid them even more. 

Maintaining My 100 Pound Weight Loss for Life

Maintaining your weight loss can be difficult but it’s much easier than losing 100 pounds. Weight loss maintenance requires you to make healthy decisions, which becomes easier the more you set yourself up for success. 

I set myself up for success by avoiding foods and situations that tempt me to go back to old lifestyle habits. By avoiding your triggers and leaning into healthier habits, you can make it easier on yourself  to maintain all the hard work you’ve done. 

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Thanks for reading! If you’d like to hear more about my weight loss story, check out my book 1 Year 100 Pounds. 

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube for weight loss tips and workout motivation!

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